Fuel heating device



L. B. MILLS FUEL HEATING DEVICE April 29, 1941.

Filed March 25, 1940 zz'ma arfzz'zzy INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FUEL HEATING nnvroa Ludie B. Mills, Eden, Ga. Application March 25, 1940, Serial No. 325,928

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in fuel heating devices.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient heater device that renders an ordinary gas burning engine capable of operation with Diesel or cheap fuel oil.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a heater device embodying means for breaking up the fuel oil as it enters the heating chamber thus causing the fuel to be uniformly heated and vaporized'p'rior to the same passing into the carburetor. w

A further object of the invention is the construction of a fuel heating device which will operate on any gas burning engine without altering or changing the manifold or carburetor.

A still further object of the invention is the construction of a heating device embodying the use of cushion means to relieve any back pressure or congestion that may tend to occur in the heating chamber.

The invention will be fully and comprehensively understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of the application.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional view of a fuel heating device embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing for a more detailed description thereof, the fuel heating device generally designated by the reference numeral 5 comprises a substantially cylindrical-shaped housing 6, each end of which has welded or otherwise secured thereto, as indicated at 1, caps 8 and 9, respectively. A heat convecting tube I!) extends substantially centrally through the housing 6 and projects beyond each end thereof as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, said tube passing through aligned openings formed in the end caps 8 and 9. The area surrounding the portion of the tube projecting through the caps 8 and 9 is welded, as indicated at H, to prevent any escape of fuel or heat from within the housing.

The heating device 5 is directly connected to the exhaust manifold l2 of an internal combustion engine whereby exhaust gases expelled therefrom are employed for heating the interior of said device. A section of tubing I3 is attached to the exhaust manifold, as indicated at M, and a second section of tubing l5 having a butterfly valve I6 is attached to the section l3 as indicated at ll. The section of tubing I5 is connected to the tube It by means of the elbow-shaped tubing ll. Thus it will be seen that there is provided a continuous passageway for the exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold I2 through the tube H), the valve l6 adapted to regulate the gases in proportion to the vaporization of fuel desired. The exhaust gases are carried off through the medium of a section of tubing l8 welded, as indicated at l9, to the projecting end 20 of the tube It. The heated gases passing from the manifold through the tube ill will effectively heat the interior of the housing 6 for vaporizing the fuel oil fed therein and will pass out through the section l8.

The housing 6 has connection with a source of fuel supply, as indicated at 2|, said connection being at one end of the housing and the vaporized fuel is fed to a carburetor, not shown, through the outlet connection 22. The carburetor will function in the normal manner whereby upon acceleration the vaporized fuel will be fed thereto from the housing for operating the engine.

A pair of coil springs 23 and 24, respectively, are mounted on the tube I 0 within the housing 6, one end of each spring having engagement with an inwardly extending collar 25, and 26, respectively, formed on the caps 8 and. 9, respectively. The other end of said springs have engagement with a slidable collar 21, which collar has formed integral therewith a perforated disk 28. The pressure of the fuel being fed into the housing 6 will effect sliding movement of the disk 28 on the tube l0 against the tension of the springs 23 and 24 to break up the swirling motion of the injected fuel thus causing the fuel to be uniformly heated as it passes into the car- .buretor. The springs 23 and 24 act as a cushion to relieve any pressure or congestion that may form on the inside of the heating chamber. The perforated disk also causes the fuel to settle on the bottom of the housing and to gradually rise to the top thereof as is needed thus causing quick acceleration as operation of the motor is required.

It is believed that the operation and advantages of the heating device are readily'apparent from the above description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. Fuel oil is fed into the housing 6 from a source of supply through the inlet connection 2| and. is heated and vaporized within said housing by heat from the exhaust manifold which passes through the tube Ill. The vaporized fuel oil passes into the carburetor through the outlet connection 22 upon acceleration. The incoming fuel oil is efiiciently broken up so as to be uniformly heated [by means of the slidable disk 28 and the action of the springs 23 and 24 on said disk relieves any congestion that may form inside the heating chamber. A heating device embodying the features of the present invention permits the operation of a gas burning engine with the use of Diesel or crude fuel oil without altering the construction of the manifold or carburetor, said heating device being conveniently located between the exhaust manifold and the carburetor.

Also it will be understood, of course, by those skilled in the art that variations in the hereinabove described device involving the substitution of substantial equivalents for the devices described are intended to be comprehended within the spirit of the present invention and that the invention is capable of extended application and is not confined to the exact showing ofthe drawing nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel heating device for internal combustion engines, comprising, a substantially cylindrical-shaped housing, said housing adapted to receive the fuel in one end and to discharge the same into a carburetor from the other end thereof, a tube extending through said housing and projecting beyond each end thereof, said tube connected with the exhaust manifold of the engine for conveying heated gases therefrom to heat the interior of said housing, and means slidably mounted on said tube for agitating the fuel fed into one end of the housing so as to be uniformly heated by said tube prior to its discharge into the carburetor.

2. A fuel heating device for internal combustion engines, comprising, a substantially cylindrical-shaped housing, said housing adapted to receive the fuel in one end and to discharge the same into a carburetor from the other end thereof, a tube extending through said housing and projecting beyond each end thereof, said tube connected with the exhaust manifold of the engine for conveying heated gases therefrom to heat the interior of said housing, a pair of coil springs surrounding said tube Within said housing, and a perforated disk slidably mounted on said tube and separating said coil springs.

3. A fuel heating device for internal combustion engines, comprising, a substantially cylindrical-shaped housing adapted to receive the fuel in one end and to discharge the same into a carburetor from the other end thereof, a tube extending through said housing and projecting beyond each end thereof, said tube connected with the exhaust manifold of the engine for conveying heated gases therefrom to heat the interior of said housing, a disc slidably mounted on said tube, and spring means surrounding said tube on each side of said disc, said disc be ing movable on said tube when contacted by the incoming fuel for agitating the same so as to be uniformly heated by said tube prior to its discharge into the carburetor.

LU'DIE B. MILLS. 

